Greek media are calling the crash the ‘worst train accident that Greece has ever known’. About 150 firefighters and 40 ambulances were mobilised for the response. Cranes and mechanical personnel were also deployed to try to remove debris and right overturned vehicles. (Photo | AP)According to public television station ERT, one of the train cars caught fire after the collision and several people were trapped inside. Spokesman Vathrakogiannis said that, ‘The operation to free trapped people is underway and is taking place in difficult conditions due to the seriousness of the collision between the two trains. The majority of passengers have been taken to safety.’ (Photo | AP)The mayor of the nearby town of Tempi, Yorgos Manolis told ERT that many students had been on board the train, returning to Thessaloniki after a long holiday weekend. (Photo | AP)An emergency government meeting was organised after the crash, and Greek health minister Thanos Plevris went to the scene while interior minister Takis Theodorikakos supervised the response from a crisis management centre. The two hospitals near Larissa have been requisitioned to accommodate the many injured, according to the fire services, while military hospitals in Thessaloniki and Athens are also ‘on alert’ in case they are needed. (Photo | AP)One passenger named Lazos told the newspaper Protothema that the experience had been ‘very shocking’. ‘I wasn’t hurt, but I was stained with blood from other people who were injured near me,’ he said. (Photo | AP)‘I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life. It’s tragic. Five hours later, we are finding bodies,’ said an exhausted rescuer emerging from the wreckage where he and his team were working. (Photo | AFP)A passenger walks on a road after the train collision. Another shaken passenger told Skai television that ‘the windows suddenly exploded. People were screaming and were afraid’. ‘Fortunately, we were able to open the doors and escape fairly quickly. In other wagons, they did not manage to get out, and one wagon even caught fire,’ he added. (Photo | AP)
